Kyrie Irving is out for the rest of the season after knee surgery

DALLAS. — Dallas Mavericks star, Kyrie Irving, will not play the rest of the season while he continues his recovery process after surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee, performed last March.

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The point guard, a nine-time All-Star, hasn’t seen action this season and the organization confirmed that its goal is to be fully ready for the start of the 2026-27 season. According to the team, Irving is showing “steady progress in rehabilitation” and will remain actively involved with the group for the remainder of the schedule. His agent, Shetellia Riley Irving, explained to ESPN that the priority is for the player to return “100%” to have the best chance to compete for the championship next season.

Possible return to practices

Although he will not play official games again this year, there is optimism that Irving can rejoin practices before the end of the season. This would allow him to start developing on-court chemistry with star rookie Cooper Flagg, a central piece of the new sports project in Dallas.

Irving, 33 years old, also missed the last 20 games of the previous season due to the same injury. In a statement, he assured that the decision to be absent for the rest of the year “was not easy, but it is the right one”, thanking the franchise, his teammates and the fans for their support. “I hope to come back stronger next season,” said the point guard, who also sent a message of encouragement to other athletes who have suffered anterior cruciate ligament ruptures.

Impact in Dallas

Since his arrival in the franchise in the 2022-23 season, the Mavericks have a record of 75-53 with Irving in the lineup, in contrast to 42-75 when he is not available. Currently, Dallas occupies the fourth place in the Southwest Division with a record of 19-35 after the All-Star break, amid a restructuring phase that included the transfer of Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in a multiple trade earlier this month. The organization has made it clear that its immediate focus is the development of its young core, while it hopes to have Irving back as a key piece for the 2026-27 season.